Son charged with murder in Eclectic shooting

A 17-year-old is charged with murder in the Sunday afternoon shooting of his parents.
Marty Roney/ Advertiser

ECLECTIC –An Elmore County teen is charged with murder in the shooting death of his father, and investigators will also pursue murder charges against the teen for his mother's death said Sheriff Bill Franklin.

Jesse Madison Holton, 17, was in the Elmore County Jail on Monday afternoon under a bond of $150,000, jail records reflect. He is the son of Mike Holton and April Holton, the sheriff said. Mike Holton, a former mayor of Eclectic, died Sunday at the scene, the family’s home in the 2000 block of Lindsey Road, Franklin said. April Holton was sent to a Montgomery hospital, but died Monday from a gunshot wound, Franklin said.

Jesse Madison Holton is being charged as an adult.

Mike and April Holton, both 37, each appear to have been shot in the head, Franklin said. Deputies recovered a 9 mm. semi-automatic handgun in the master bedroom of the home where it is believed Mike and April Holton were shot, he said.

Jesse Holton, could not be reached for comment. Courthouse records show he doesn’t have an attorney. Franklin said he is a senior at Elmore County High School.

Jesse Holton allegedly shot both his parents after the sheriff’s office was called to the home about 4 p.m. Sunday following a party at the residence, Franklin said. The parents had been out of town the night before. The house was “trashed” after the party and evidence was collected of drug use at the party, Franklin said.

“The 17-year-old originally told us that after our deputy left, his parents went into the master bedroom where they got into an argument,” Franklin said. “He told us that Mike Holton shot his mother in the head, then turned the gun on himself. What he said and what the evidence showed just did not add up.

“With the angles of the wounds and the entry and exit points of the wounds, there is just no way Mike Holton could have shot himself. April suffered defensive wounds to her hands, where it appeared she threw her hands up as if shield herself. The bullet went through one of her fingers and then into her head. So there was no way April could have shot herself either. The 17-year-old’s story just didn’t add up.”

Jesse Holton has expressed “absolutely” no emotion or remorse following the incident.

“We are dealing with young man with a history of emotional trouble,” Franklin said. “He did ask one time how his mother was, but that was it. He never asked about the condition of his father. You talk to him and it’s just blank. He expresses nothing in his demeanor or conversations that shows he feels he is at all responsible for any of this.

“He told us he takes prescription sleep medicine. And he admits to marijuana use. Basically he told our investigators that as long as he smokes dope and takes his pills every day he’s fine.”

When the deputy first arrived on the party call, Mike Holton told the officer that Jesse Holton was inside and handcuffed. Mike Holton told the deputy he had restrained his son with handcuffs. Mike Holton told the deputy that he would go to the sheriff’s office on Monday to sign a juvenile petition against his son relating to the party, Franklin said.

“Our deputy left and everything was calm,” Franklin said. “The about 20 minutes later we get another 911 call. The 17-year-old went to a next door neighbor and told him something like ‘There’s a problem over here.’

“The neighbor called 911 and the same deputy returned and that’s when the Holtons bodies were found in the master bedroom.”

Franklin did not know why Mike Holton had handcuffs or why he handcuffed Jesse Holton.

“From the first call, our deputy got the impression that Mike Holton had had enough and was trying to discipline his son,” Franklin said. “The 17-year-old told us he was handcuffed in the back. Obviously we feel he slipped out of the handcuffs, or got the key somehow to remove the handcuffs, before he did indeed shoot his mother and father.”

Mike Holton was elected Mayor of Eclectic in 2012. He resigned in February of 2014 telling media outlets at the time that he wanted to spend more time with his family. The couple also have a 14-year-old son, who is now staying with relatives, Franklin said.

News of the shooting has rocked this close knit community.

"You really don't expect anything to happen like this in Eclectic," said Stan Crowe, who was eating lunch Monday at the Kountry Cafe. "I mean everybody knows everybody up here, especially with Mike being in politics. It's just hard to accept that this has happened."

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The incident occurred at the family's residence on Lindsey Road in Eclectic.(Photo: Marty Roney/Advertiser)